Meet Derrick from South Bronx United

At the age of 15, without any family members, Derrick Cordova left La Ceiba, Honduras on a treacherous 2,000-mile trek to the United States. He followed in the path of thousands of other Central American youth, who were fleeing gangs, violence, and a lack of jobs and opportunities, to seek a better life for themselves and their families. At South Bronx United (SBU), his love for soccer enabled him to find family again. In addition to leading his SBU soccer team in scoring, he attended English classes and SAT Prep and improved his grades after his initial struggles in school. He worked with SBU’s Legal Services Coordinator to gain Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, which put him on the path towards legal permanent residency.

Derrick was recently admitted to the College of Mount Saint Vincent on a full scholarship. He will be playing on college soccer and has the goal of one day becoming an immigration attorney. In January, ESPN Deportes and ESPN SportsCenter aired a segment titled “El Camino,” covering Derrick’s journey.

About Our Organization

The Catalog for Giving is a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming the lives of underserved New York City children. The Catalog identifies, funds, and supports innovative, community-based organizations providing valuable skills to these kids, and in doing so sets them on new paths to success. Through creativity and the efforts of many volunteers, these organizations deliver extraordinary rewards to the youth and communities they serve.

Contact us

The Catalog for Giving of New York City
444 Madison Avenue, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10022
P: 212-765-8212
F: 212-765-8190info@cfgnyc.org